One of the issues that I don't believe has been discussed yet is that some percentage of these pilots are students working with an instructor, and the instructor is working for or running a business. It is at that point (student getting first 10 or so mountain flights) one most needs the clear communication with an instructor. The first few high mountain flights are pretty exciting (well it never gets old, but the first flights can be intense for a newbie); the instructor needs to be able to talk the student through the flight and to a safe approach to landing. But the business side of it puts the damper on using 2m. Once a pilot is off and flying on their own it would be fine.
Yeah openly available cheapo Ham HT's so easily integrated with BT now is a seductive package. I have not yet heard any such activity around here on Ham bands. But I know there is an active PG community, my dentists husband is a PG instructor. I may check out their haunts this weekend. And then there is the EAA Sun N'Fun next year. The newly appointed ARRL Rocky Mountain Division Director ought to amble on down to the HQ of the USHPA quickly to assist and enlist them in a partnership.
The suggestions to try to encourage legal use of 2M is fine. Failing that, and for those that feel that "AH doan need no stinkin' license to tawk on them channels", then the solution is USE. Get other actual hams on the air. Deliberately hold QSO's on the frequencies the illegals are choosing on 2M. Hold simplex nets on them as well. Make calls to other hams during their operations whether the stations are on the air or not. Doing so shows them that the frequencies are active and in use. You do NOT have to justify your use to them; they have no right to BE there to start with. Do not talk directly to them, but you can hold QSOs ABOUT their activities with other hams such as the fact that such use IS illegal and that *you* will have no choice but to report their illegal use to FCC. They will do one , or more, of several things. 1) stop using 2 Meters, 2) get the license, 3) attempt to engage you, 4) talk smart to you, 5) move to another channel (at which time you follow them and keep talking amongst yourselves. Let me see----where did I put that 2 Meter amp I've been storing?
Well, you see, this isn't really about their use of the HAM bands. This is an advert for paragliding. That should be obvious.
I agree that using these VHF frequencies is wrong. But to Stereotype people that talk on 11 meters (CB Radio) as rouge law breakers is wrong. I still use CB Radio and have no plan to stop. But I do operate it legally. And use it to help communicate traffic conditions on the I-35 corridor here in Central Texas. But yes there are a lot of CB operaters that operate illegally just like some Hams operate on HF and use profanity. 73's for now KG5PTE on the Ham Radio Gearbox on the CB.
Part of the problem is that a lot of hams call the Amateur Radio Service a hobby. It is a service. Using the service certainly may be a hobby to many operators, but calling it "only a hobby" "the hobby" "it's just a hobby" paves the way to disrespect for ham radio as a licensed service. That is certainly part of the root problem in this particular situation
But it IS a hobby, and "only" a hobby since it can't be anything other than a hobby. The FCC calls all divisions of radio a "service", because that is the definition of service that they are using, " an administrative division (as of a government or business) "
By calling it a service, you bring it to the level of the CB Radio Service, or the kid's blister pack Family Radio Service. The FCC calls every use of the airwaves a service, so it's not as though that term carries any connotation of being worthy or good. The definition of a hobby is something done without pecuniary interest, and that aspect of our hobby is written into the rules. I think either term is accurate. What's not accurate is belief that the term "service" somehow sets us apart from any of the other services that the FCC regulates.
Please point out the word "hobby" in an ITU or FCC official regulatory definition, basis, and purpose of the Amateur Radio Service. Just the facts. A link to the ITU or FCC document text would be fine.
"Without pecuniary interest" is not the definition of hobby. Actually, there are many hobbies that involve quite a lot of pecuniary interest. So, that fact in itself deflates your hobby horse
USA: Code of Federal Regulations Title 47 → Chapter I → Subchapter D → Part 97 Title 47: Telecommunication Subpart A—General Provisions FCC PART 97—AMATEUR RADIO SERVICE §97.1 Basis and purpose. The rules and regulations in this part are designed to provide an amateur radio service having a fundamental purpose as expressed in the following principles: (a) Recognition and enhancement of the value of the amateur service to the public as a voluntary noncommercial communication service, particularly with respect to providing emergency communications. (b) Continuation and extension of the amateur's proven ability to contribute to the advancement of the radio art. (c) Encouragement and improvement of the amateur service through rules which provide for advancing skills in both the communication and technical phases of the art. (d) Expansion of the existing reservoir within the amateur radio service of trained operators, technicians, and electronics experts. (e) Continuation and extension of the amateur's unique ability to enhance international goodwill. §97.3 Definitions. (a) The definitions of terms used in part 97 are: (1) Amateur operator. A person named in an amateur operator/primary license station grant on the ULS consolidated licensee database to be the control operator of an amateur station. (2) Amateur radio services. The amateur service, the amateur-satellite service and the radio amateur civil emergency service. (4) Amateur service. A radiocommunication service for the purpose of self-training, intercommunication and technical investigations carried out by amateurs, that is, duly authorized persons interested in radio technique solely with a personal aim and without pecuniary interest. (5) Amateur station. A station in an amateur radio service consisting of the apparatus necessary for carrying on radiocommunications. ITU - Radio Regulations ITU_R-REG-RR-2016 Articles, Edition of 2016 ARTICLE 1 Terms and definitions Section I – General terms 1.56 amateur service: A radiocommunication service for the purpose of self-training, intercommunication and technical investigations carried out by amateurs, that is, by duly authorized persons interested in radio technique solely with a personal aim and without pecuniary interest.
The word "amateur" itself means "hobbiest" in almost all dictionaries online. If you do something for your own personal aim, and without pecuniary interest, then you have a hobby. I think you need to point out when amateur radio is "not a hobby". That will be hard to do.
